Multi stage smoke filtration device

ABSTRACT

A filtration apparatus and method used for the inhalation of smoke that is created from burning substances in a water pipe or similar, useful for reducing the harshness of smoke, removing toxins from smoke and flavoring smoke. A two stage filtration apparatus originates with a mouthpiece adapted to seal off the opening of the inhalation tube of a typical water pipe. A first stage tubular filter housing is attached to the bottom end of the mouthpiece located inside the inhalation tube. A second stage tubular filter housing is attached to the bottom of the first stage housing. Smoke passes into the second stage housing and through circular second stage then first stage disposable filter medium packets held into place by the filter housings. A method of pressing the lips against the mouthpiece portion seals off the inhalation tube opening and frees both of the user&#39;s hands so that one hand can support the water pipe while the other ignites and reignites the burned substance.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to filtration devices for smoking tobacco or other substances. More specifically, the present invention relates to mouthpiece filtration devices used with or near the inhalation tube of a water pipe or similar used to inhale smoke from a burned substance. More specifically, the present invention relates to multi stage filtration devices which allow use of removable filter mediums for smoke filtration.

2. Description of Related Art

There are many devices for filtering inhaled smoke in the prior art. For example there exists devices that are inserted into a water pipe such as 4357948 to Schweitzer et al requiring a special device to insert and remove. Additionally there exist devices that allow for only one type of filter medium such as 6067993 to Mahoney. Additionally there exist multi stage filtration mouthpieces such as 3504678 to Pitt and 3327718 to Kilburn which are designed only for cigarette use and which do not use filter housings or allow for individual filter replacement. There are exist multi stage devices for containing smoke but which would not work with waterpipes such as 5501234 to Hyre.

There does not exist in the prior art, however, the present invention which is a multi stage filtration system comprising a mouthpiece with attached filter housings that allow for individual filter replacement. This enables replacement of one filter as it expires without having to dispose of the other filter which may expire at a different rate. This also allows use of numerous types of filter mediums for various purposes including cooling the smoke, toxin removal, and flavoring of the smoke. Some filter mediums include activated charcoal, dried herbal leaves, rice, cotton, hemp and cloth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to multi stage filtration devices used for inhaling smoke from burning tobacco or other substance in a water pipe or similar. The present invention is comprised of three in-line components. The first component is a conical mouthpiece with external threading by which a first tubular filter housing is connected via internal threading on its top end, and is connected via internal threading on its bottom end to external threading on a second tubular filter housing. Filter support discs supporting filter media are crimped into place when the components are screwed into each other preventing smoke from bypassing the filter medium when inhaling.

The characteristics and utilities of the present invention described in this summary and the detailed description below are not all inclusive. Many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art given the following drawings, specifications and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. For ease of understanding and simplicity, common numbering of elements within the illustrations is employed to identify an element in the different drawings.

FIG. 1 is the side view of a water pipe 210 with the mouthpiece 100, first filter housing 110 and second filter housing 120 fitted into the inhalation tube opening 200 of the water pipe 210.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the separate components of the filtration system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Smoke is inhaled by creating a seal with the lips around the mouthpiece portion 100 positioned at the opposite end of the inhalation tube portion 200 of a water pipe 210 from the chamber 215 where the smoke from smoked substance is cooled by the water in the chamber 215. The present invention uses a conical mouthpiece 100 that is inserted into the inhalation tube opening 200 in order to seal off the tube opening and thereby forcing smoke to go through the filter housings 120 and 110 and mouthpiece 100. The largest circumference and smallest circumference and pitch of the conical portion 108 are of sufficient size to seat the mouthpiece 100 in the opening 200 of most typical inhalation tubes. The three parts of the in-line device and connected via respective internal/external threading. The first housing 110, located between the mouthpiece portion 100 and the second housing 120, contains internal threading 114 on both ends. At the inner terminus of each set of threads is a flat protruding ring 118 meant to hold in place a filter support disc 400. The filter support disc 400 supports a circular packet 600 containing the filter medium 620 while allowing air and smoke to pass through a plurality of perforations located throughout the filter support disc 400. Screwing the top end of the mouthpiece portion into the first housing crimps the circular filter packet edge 610 between the bottom of the mouthpiece threading 104 and the filter support disc 400, thereby preventing smoke from bypassing the filter medium 620. The same is achieved with screwing the second housing 120 into the first housing's opposite end but with a second filter support disc 405 and a second protruding ring 118. The second filter housing 120 can be of different lengths as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively, depending on the desired cooling effect whereby a longer second filter housing 120 as shown in FIG. 1 would take in smoke closer to the water chamber. With both filters installed, a multi-stage filtration device is configured and is attached to a conical mouthpiece 100 so that the user is enabled to use the present device with water pipe inhalation tubes 200 of various diameters to cool, filter, and/or flavor smoke by forcing the smoke to enter the second filter housing 120, through its corresponding filter 600 to the first filter housing 110 and filter 600 and finally through the mouthpiece 100 where it is inhaled.

While a conical mouthpiece is the preferred embodiment, a tubular mouthpiece with a flat disc shaped portion protruding around the outer circumference of the mouthpiece is also anticipated, whereby the flat disc portion is utilized to seal off the top edge of the inhalation tube opening whereby it sits over and extends past the outer circumference of the top edge and is pressed against the tube with the lips.

Additionally, the present invention comprises a method for sealing off smoke with the mouthpiece portion 100 by using the user's lips alone. Pushing the mouthpiece 100 against the edge of the water pipe tube opening 200 with the lips alone frees both hands while sealing off the opening 200. Existing mouthpieces require support with one hand in order to be used. The present invention enables one hand to support the water pipe 210 while the other hand ignites and reignites the smoked substance 300. It is necessary to often reignite the substance being smoked in order to produce sufficient smoke.

(Original Preamble). A multi stage smoke filtration device and method for using the same comprising: 

1. A mouthpiece portion of sufficient size to allow the lips of the mouth to form a seal around its top end.
 2. The mouthpiece portion of claim 1 comprising a means for sealing off the opening of the inhalation tube portion of a typical water pipe or similar, said means including but not limited to a conical surface of sufficient size and pitch such that its largest and smallest circumferences allow for said conical surface to seat said mouthpiece portion partially outside and partially inside said inhalation tube opening such that said top end of said mouthpiece is seated outside of said inhalation tube opening and the bottom end of said mouthpiece is seated inside said inhalation tube opening, said bottom end having threading on its outer surface.
 3. A method for keeping said mouthpiece held tightly against said inhalation tube opening without use of the user's hands comprising pushing said lips of the mouth against said mouthpiece such that said mouthpiece is thereby pressed against the inner circumference of said inhalation tube opening.
 4. The device according to claim 1 including a first filtration housing comprising a tube with internal threading on its top and bottom ends, each set of said internal threads terminating internally in a filter support ring and each set of said internal threads being of a corresponding pitch to said external threads of said mouthpiece portion.
 5. The filter support ring of claim 4 comprising a circular protrusion extending inwardly from the inner circumference of said first filtration housing such that a filter support disc can be placed against it.
 6. The filter support disc of claim 5 comprising a disc of sufficient circumference such that it can be inserted into said first filtration housing and be held into place by said filter support ring and comprising a plurality of small perforations.
 7. The filter support disc of claim 5 comprising a disc of sufficient circumference such that it can be inserted into the opposite end of said first filtration housing from which the filter support disc of claim 6 has been inserted and be held into place by said filter support ring and comprising a plurality of small perforations.
 8. A second filtration housing comprising a tube with external threading on its top end, said threading being of a corresponding pitch to the internal threading of said first filtration housing.
 9. The mouthpiece portion bottom end of claim 2 comprising a sufficient size and shape with which to crimp the outer circumference of a circular filtration medium packet against said filter support.
 10. The second filtration housing top end of claim 8 comprising a sufficient size and shape with which to crimp the outer circumference of a circular filtration medium packet against said filter support. 